Timing is Everything: Should You Make the Switch?

Breaking up is hard to do. Sometimes you have to let go of the past in order to really take hold of the future. Switching EHRs can be a daunting task. Oftentimes the thought alone can stifle any attempts to move forward with the endeavor. But if your current EHR system is outdated, laborious, and inefficient, it may be costing you much more than that apprehension is worth. There are many reasons that providers make a switch in EHRs. They may be looking for added functionality, EHR certification and adherence to government mandates, a more usable system, better support, or a consolidation of systems and services.

It Has a Lack of Solid Core Features

Are your workarounds are so numerous that they commandeer the majority of your processes,? Then it may be that your current system lacks the core features and functionality necessary for you to effectively run your practice. If you can’t easily document and navigate through notes, customize your macros, track your patients from walk-in to walk-out, and manage your billing, your system may be slowing down the exact practices that its purchase was meant to speed up. If it’s not keeping pace with changes happening in healthcare, you may be risking more than simple speed and efficiency.

You Experience Painful Upgrades and Support

If you rue the day that your system needs its next update, then it may be time to think about upgrading out of your old system and into a new one. With the technological advancements on the market today, there is no reason that you have to live in the dark ages of long phone queues and lengthy upgrade processes. After all, the software isn’t the only thing you purchased. You also purchased a long-term relationship with your vendor. And if that vendor isn’t in chiropractic for the long haul, your system won’t be either. Every software system encounters issues from time to time. Is your vendor not responsive to the needs of the market and the overwhelming requests of their users? It might be time to find a new dance partner.

Your System Doesn’t Play Well with Others

Is your system a technology silo? Do you see many partnerships within your industry between systems that you don’t have the luxury of gaining access to? Do you find yourself cobbling together services from multiple vendors? Trying to complete a comprehensive, fully-featured EHR system that covers patient reminders, patient intake, data backup, patient exercise prescribing, outcome assessments, online bill pay, and more? A comprehensive, fully-featured system can build bridges for you between the latest offerings on the market and your practice.

You’ve Outgrown Your Solution

You may have made your initial EHR purchase decision in a very different environment than the one you find yourself in today. Past budgetary restrictions, patient flow, staff size, and other external influences may have established a very different hierarchy of needs than those that you find yourself prioritizing today. If your system is bursting at the seams and its engine is struggling to keep up with a growing practice, it may be time to retire that old beater and pick up a new practice vehicle with a cleaner engine.

One of the greatest fears of changing systems is a loss in productivity. But productivity may be slipping through the cracks every day in the hands of an EHR system. It’s never easy to make a switch as impactful as change in EHR systems. But in some ways it can be even more difficult to remain stagnant, paired with a system that does not aid your practice in running to the best of its ability.

Are you interested in learning more about building a successful practice with the help of a comprehensive EHR system? Check out this webinar recording with Dr. Lee Wood where he discusses how to build a solid foundation for success in the Chiropractic profession.